Handheld wireless communications devices often employ, for example, quarter-wave transformers for cellular, personal communications services (PCS) or global positioning system (GPS) frequency bands. Such quarter-wave transformers, when not adapted, are typically much longer than can be easily accommodated by most handheld wireless communications devices.
In order to reduce the length of such quarter-wave transformers, a block 20 of dielectric material is used as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows a trace 10 that has been printed on a circuit board 50. The trace 10 is not continuous as a space was provided onto which the dielectric block 20 could be mounted. The dielectric block 20 already has a trace 40 printed on its surface across three faces of the block 20. The dielectric block 20 must be carefully aligned when it is mounted to avoid any discontinuities at point 30 between trace 10 of the board 50 and trace 40 of the block 20. If successful, the dielectric block 20 modifies the electrical properties of the trace 10, 40 such that a shorter trace can be used for a quarter-wave transformer, for example.
As is evident from FIG. 3, there is very little room for error concerning the proper alignment of the traces 10, 40. Not only must the traces 10, 40 be connected, but they must be well aligned since misaligned (albeit connected) traces 10, 40 provide variances from the expected electrical characteristics of the trace 10, 40 which can have deleterious effects on the handheld wireless communications device, especially during mass production.
In addition, since the block can only be mounted in one way, that is, with the traces 10, 40 aligned and connected, there is no easy way in which to modify the electrical characteristics of the trace 10, 40 in situ. Thus, a degree of flexibility is lost especially in light of the variability of the electrical characteristics of the traces 10, 40.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a method and a system of modifying the electrical characteristics of a trace that provide robust, well-aligned trace connections and also provides flexibility to change electrical properties in situ.